Do you get two attacks if you ready against a spellcaster?

[CRGreathouse]

I think that the intent of the FAQ entry is that a character who partial charges after a spellcaster doesn't get an AoO as well, but that a spllcaster who is already in a threatened area provokes an AoO and gets the readied attack.

Whether that was the intent or not, I'd rule you get the AoO.

 

[Artoomis]

After re-reading the FAQ, I have come to the conclusion that the following is the Sage's position (and the two entries do not conflict):

Whether you use a Readied action or not, you only get one attack per situation that provokes one.

Thus:

1. You may Ready to attack the wizard when he moves away from you. He move 5' and casts a spell. You get the readied attack (triggered by his 5' move) and the AoO (triggered by his casting).

2. You may Ready an action to disrupt his spell. In that case you can do whatever it takes to attack him, even a partial charge. But, because the Readied action was triggered by the spell casting, you get no AoO that would be triggered by the same event.

Strictly speaking, that's wrong by the rules, but it seems to make sense and pretty much follows the intent of those rules.

 

[0-hr]

My guess is that you don't get the AoO because you do not threaten the mage when he starts to cast the spell.

• You ready to charge the mage (who is 15ft away) if he casts a spell.
• The mage starts a spell.
• This triggers any actions readied against him and simultaneously triggers AoO's from everyone threatening him at this moment.
• You take your readied action, charging up and attacking.
• Now you threaten the mage, but he doesn't have to start casting the spell again. He already started it (while you were way over yonder) and suffered for it. Coming up to a mage mid-cast does not give you an AoO.
• Mage completes the spell (after concentration check if needed).

Anyway, that's my best guess at trying to put a reason to the ruling. I've never liked the temporal mechanics of readied action interruptions, so avoiding a double temporal bounce (Ready + AoO) sounds good to me. In other words, you can only send the mage back in time (to the start of his casting) once.

 

[CRGreathouse]

My guess is that you don't get the AoO because you do not threaten the mage when he starts to cast the spell.

Yeah, but you do because of those same "temporal mechanics".

 

[Dog Faced God]

I like Ki Ryn's logic here better than any other. The combat system is an attempt to model actions over time. This use of the ready action is completely contrary to that effort.

The readied action and the triggering action should occur simultaneously (otherwise, how will you force that concentration check?). Consider the following combat sequence:

Initiative count 20
Thuggus: 'I ready my action: If Xyar begins to cast a spell, I charge 10' and attack him'

Initiative count 17
Xyar: 'I cast Magic Missile at Thuggus.'

DM: 'This triggers Thuggus' ready action, which will occur before the triggering action.'

Initiative count 18
Thuggus: 'I charge,' <roll> <roll>, 'and hit for 14 hp damage'

DM: 'Ok... hold on Xyar, this big hulking warrior dashes up and clobbers you with his Warhammer as you are casting your spell.'

Initiative count 17
Xyar: 'Ok... since there's a big hulking fighter in front of me I will avoid the AoO by not casting my spell.'

DM: 'Um... ok in that case you didn't trigger Thuggus' readied action, and he's not standing in front of you. Xyar, give yourself 14 hit points back, and Thuggus move your miniature a couple squares back.'

Thuggus: 'Huh??'

 

[doktorstick]

Although this interpretation could make sense in a game mechanic type of perspective, I do not think it makes sense in a game balance perspective.

How so? Taking a readied action gives up your normal action for that round potentially doing less by the action not being triggered. It seems like the character is taking a risk for a better reward. If the wizard is stupid enough to not realize the "ogre with the steely gaze hovering over you" may be waiting for a spell to be cast, suffer the consequences.

/ds

 

[0-hr]

The readied action and the triggering action should occur simultaneously (otherwise, how will you force that concentration check?). Consider the following combat sequence...

I always tell my players that it is their intent to begin a spell that triggers the readied action. Then it doesn't matter if they later decide to follow through with it or not. As soon as they commit to starting the spell, the readied action goes off (ditto for AoO's for people that threaten).

It's the same excuse I use to explain why moving and then casting a spell provokes and AoO when just moving does not. It's the intent to move and cast that provokes, whether the person then actually casts or not doesn't make a difference. Just my attempt to avoid violating the temporal prime directive

 

[Skoal]

I think the two rulings has to do with the nature of AoO's. Usually, a character provokes an attack of opportunity because he does something in a threatened space. I think Sage was saying that another character's action can't cause an attack of opportunity. In the example of the spellcaster and the fighter, the mage was not in threatened space when he started casting the spell so his action would not have provoked an attack of opportunity. The fighter coming along because of a ready action seems like the fighters action causes the spellcaster to provoke the attack of opportunity. (I know there is some weird causality thing that goes on with readied actions happening before their triggers but).

In the archer example, the fighter was already there next to the archer threatening him when the archer took an action which provoked the attack of opportunity. I believe the fighter would not have gotten an attack of opportunity if he had as a trigger, "I'll follow the archer if he shoots." since the fighter wasn't originally threatening the space where the archer's action occured.

I'm sure someone out there can explain what I'm trying to say far better and tell me that I'm completely wrong.

[edit] Ki Ryn already has I see. I still don't think temporal anamolies should change the nature of AoO. I provoke it. You can't cause me to provoke it just because you got on a time machine called "ready action."[/edit]